November 10, 2014
THANKFUL AUTHOR BLOG ROUNDUP
Featuring Barbara Bettis
What I'm thankful for
What a great topic for a promo, and what could be more
fitting?
I am thankful for my family, friends, and for the chance to tell my
stories in whatever way I like. Sounds like a generic thankfulness, perhaps,
but each is sincere. I am blessed, indeed.
Welcome Barbara, tell me three words that describe yourself starting
with A, B, and C.
A. Adventurous-At
least in theory. I’d be happy to travel the world on my own, for instance. I’d
have been on a wagon train west; I’d have ventured into places no one else had
tried. With a caveat: No place ‘high’ and no mountain climbing. I have a
long-standing fear of heights. So I suppose that label needs to have a big
asterisk beside it J
B. Bashful-I’ve never
gotten over being shy! Guess by now I never will!
C. Cheerful-Up to a
point. I don’t go around with a grin pasted on my face from morn to night, but
I do like to look at the positive side of most issues, and I think people
should be able to laugh at themselves.
What are your three favorite things?
A. Grandchildren (and
children, too, of course J) I have three teenage granddaughters, all within six
months of the same age—now turning 15. Another granddaughter is 18. My
youngest, a grandson, is 11. He recently went through a growth spurt, so I have
no one left who wants to sit on my lap. So sad. Oh, and two ‘grown up’
grandsons. I love having them all together on holidays!
B. Friends. Without
their support, encouragement, feedback, and most of all, shared laughter,
writing would be nearly impossible.
C. Writing/reading (I
fudged on getting these both in. J)
What for you is the best part of writing?
Typing ‘The End.’
Just kidding J. I love the process of discovery—plot, characters,
development. Getting wrapped up in the story and characters, watching them come
alive and find their happy ending.
What is the worst?
Getting stuck, when
the story and action suddenly get stalled and no revelations come. Then I get
up and walk around. Or jump in the car and drive. Plot issues have a way of
becoming clear when I drive, oddly.
Was there any particular inspiration for
your characters or story?
I’ve always favored
heroes on the ‘outside.’ Doing research on Richard I, I became fascinated by
one of his right hand men, a mercenary named Mercadier. He seemed to
demonstrate a great deal of loyalty and military aptitude for a knight in a
profession supposedly populated with cruel, unfeeling, dishonorable fighters.
And many undoubtedly were! (Mercadier, himself, may have been.) However, my
heroes are mercenaries of honor and loyalty who have sold their swords for a
good reason. Sir Stephen faced a tragedy as a young knight that gave him cause
to stay away from home and form his band of knights seeking to overcome their
own challenges. So far all of my heroes have, at some point, been mercenaries,
looking for a home. Which they find, of course, in the heroine!
Will there be more books in your series, or can you
tell us about any previous books?
I’m working on a
novella that is Sir Henry and Lady Katherine’s story. He, however, has never
been a mercenary. J Henry is Evelynn’s brother and was a character in my
first book SILVERHAWK. That medieval romance featured a mercenary, Sir Giles,
who was out to track down and kill his father, who left his mother before Giles
was born. When he finds the old lord, his plan for revenge goes awry. Giles
kidnaps the man’s young, new betrothed, Lady Emelin, then has to track down a
traitor to the crown while he keeps Emelin from escaping. Of course they fall
in love, Giles gives up his obsession with vengeance, and the traitor’s plan to
start a war is foiled.
THE HEART OF THE
PHOENIX features a group of dispossessed knights who have banded together as The Brotherhood of the Phoenix to uncover a
troop of renegade mercenaries responsible for robberies and murders. There may
very well be books features various members of that group the Brotherhood.
Blurb
Some call him a
ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart.
Memories
Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero
is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. A now-grown Evie
offers friendship, but Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she
resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she
finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to
another.
Can be cruel
Sir
Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered
his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His
childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs
her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s
favorite.
And deadly
When his drive for vengeance
leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the
love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason.Convict the
murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens
everything.
Excerpt
Evie
could tell Stephen was angry now by the way he glowered and roared in that
whispery sort of way no one else could hear, but left her with no doubt of his
displeasure.
“Your
betrothed.” He bent and scooped her off the floor.
“What?
What about him?”
“That’s
the identity of the illustrious lord who’s sharing passage with us.”
“You’re
drunk. And put me down. I’m perfectly capable of getting up on my own.”
“Be
quiet. You have blood on your leg.”
“Of
course I do. I tripped and fell trying to answer your pounding when you could
easily have opened—” His words finally penetrated her throbbing head. “I’m
bleeding?”
Oh,
blast. The contents of her—empty—stomach churned. She attended the villagers’
hurts, bound the cuts and scrapes of servants and their children. The sight of
their blood bothered her not a whit. But her own? Black spots danced at the
corners of her vision, becoming larger and larger until she heard Stephen’s
voice.
“Evie,
Evie. What the hell?”
His
voice echoed so far away. If she didn’t know better, she’d vow he sounded
alarmed. Perhaps she’d close her eyes for a moment. As the ringing in her ears
crescendoed, she recalled his words. Betrothed.
Her
betrothed was on board?
Dear Lord, just let me die.
Bio
A former health insurance claims adjuster, a former
journalist, a former journalism teacher, Barbara Bettis plans never to be a
“former” author. Currently, she supports her writing habit as an adjunct
English instructor at a community college near her home in Missouri.
Visit her at:
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vSZgLF
TWRP: http://bit.ly/1nIViQy
Liked your interview, Barb!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz, and thanks for coming by!
DeleteGreat interview! My vote is in for future books about Stephen's fellow knights. Macsen first, please!
ReplyDeleteMacsen is a sweetie, for sure! Thanks Laura :)
DeleteUsed to live in KC. Also England which gets me sentimental to read your excerpts.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'd love to exchange information with you on England (and KC ;) Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHi Barb,
ReplyDeleteI'm also bashful / shy. I find doing the promotional side of writing to be the hardest part because it's difficult for me to put myself out there.
I'm looking forward to reading "The Heart of the Phoenix."
Thank you, Katherine. I'm the same way on promo. If you find a solution to our problem, let me know, please :) Hope you love Stephen and Evie's story.
DeleteOh, I loved this interview, blurb, and excerpt! So looking forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Red! Writing about oneself in tough, isn't it ? I appreciate your being here!
DeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteGreat post as always. I love where you say driving helps you figure out what to do when your story is stalled. That's exactly one of the things I do. I don't know how safe it is to veg out in La La Land when I'm behind 4,000 pounds of steel, but it works.
Loved the interview and so happy that there will be more books, Barbara!
ReplyDelete